Chris Burns Profile

While
most of the other students on the trip to London in 2012 did their research in
the British Library, Chris Burns was out on the streets of an area in South
London known for its historical and cultural controversy: Brixton.

In
1981, Brixton erupted into a weekend-long riot fueled by racial tension between
the police and the community that rocked the area and left over 270 individuals
injured, over 50 cars burned and 82 people arrested. Sources speculate that as
many as 5,000 people participated in the riots. Chris’ project explored why the
riots happened, and how the riots changed the climate of that area.

What
Chris found in Brixton was overwhelming. By focusing on education,
discrimination, racial awareness, police brutality and lack of leadership (from
the community and the police department), Chris was able to illustrate why the
riots happened, and how the riots could happen again.

While
the subject of Chris’ project involved an incendiary part of history, Chris
felt an immediate connection in Brixton. Just by being in the area, Chris accessed
an area of research not available to many other students.

“I
found lots of different things,” Chris said. “I had over 100 primary sources of
newspapers, talking to people in the library, just walking around. It was a
very welcoming environment. I saw a lot of improvements, but there is still a
long way to go.”

During
the four week trip to London, Chris spent only two days in the British Library.
The rest of his time was spent in the Brixton library or on the streets. In the
library, Chris accessed volumes of newspapers that were hard copies and not yet
digitized. On the streets, he recorded audio and video interviews with locals
and first-hand witnesses who lived through the riots. The experience, Chris
believes, was invaluable to his project.

“Where
would I get those sources?” he asked. “Everything would be secondary. I had
three volumes of newspapers with hundreds of primary sources. I had first-hand
accounts. It’s still very fresh on people’s minds.”

The
controversy that is behind Chris’ project and Brixton is also representative of
what Chris loved most about London: diversity. The first thing that stood out
to Chris about London was the myriad of cultures that exist together in one
space. Chris is a Savannah, Tenn. native who, until his trip to London in 2012,
had never traveled abroad.

“London was great. Being around all those different
cultures was amazing. It’s very different from being in the South where there’s
only a few types of people. It’s so diversified there, and that’s what I loved
the most about it.”

The thought of traveling didn't't’t unnerve Chris as much as
being conspicuous did.

“I was more nervous about fitting into the culture – not sticking
out like a sore thumb. I tried to make people feel comfortable around me.
People were intrigued with me being an African American. One individual
actually approached me and asked how it was different being an African American
in London.”

Because Chris loved the diversity London, the melting pot
of Brixton became his favorite place.

“There's a stereotype that only black people live there,
but I saw a ton of culture,” he said. “It was amazing. It's not like that. I
wish that a lot of other students could have come with me and experienced that
energy. It was a community. It was a home.”

And his experience has broadened his horizons in a way he
didn't't’t expect.

“I felt like I took a step
forward going to London,” he said. “I did reach some part of expectation that
Dr. P and Dr. B had for me. It made me feel good as a scholar. There were
mistakes, but I grew from it. It just felt great. Coming back, my confidence
was up. I feel like I am a provider for my family, but now I feel like I'm
ready. I'm ready to graduate and ready to see what I can do.”